Quotable: “I gave one (police officer’s challenge coin) to Toby because he’s been so outstanding to our military.” Tammi Griffin, a Chicago police officer, who was part of a group that received a special meet-and-greet with Toby Keith before he went on stage. Griffin has two sons in the United States Air Force.

Overall performance: 4.5 out of 5

Summary: Toby Keith made Summer Celebration officials look good Sunday night, putting on a tremendous show and drawing in a large crowd despite higher ticket prices. The risk of bringing in a national headliner paid off for those who witnessed the event.

Keith commanded the stage from the moment he hopped out of the bed of a pickup truck.

That’s right. The country-music star sure knows how to make an entrance. The back end of a pickup truck was built into the drum-set riser and, once the tailgate was opened, Keith slide out and started playing his guitar.

The unforgettable entrance set the stage for a truly memorable performance. Keith cranked out many of his No. 1 hits, getting the crowd dancing with his fast songs and having the patrons sing along on the slower ones.

He rattled off chart topper after chart topper. Many guys raised up their beers as Keith sang “Beer For My Horses” and “I Love This Bar.” On other songs, such as “How Do You Like Me Now?” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” the crowd joined in and added to the party atmosphere. Keith even threw in a tribute to Michigan native Ted Nugent. It was great stuff.

On a negative note, although it was nice that David Allan Coe showed up and joined Keith on stage, the two performed too many songs together. One would have been plenty. The people came to hear Keith and he had many more hits to offer.